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Flames expect electric atmosphere hosting Canucks

by
David Satriano
/ NHL.com

CANUCKS at FLAMES

TV: CBC, NBCSN, TVA

Best-of-7 series tied 1-1

The Calgary Flames will play their first home playoff game since 2009 looking to take a 2-1 series lead against the Vancouver Canucks in Game 3 of their best-of-7 Western Conference First Round series at Scotiabank Saddledome.

"I think obviously we need to come out flying [Sunday]," forward Brandon Bollig told the Flames website after an optional skate Saturday. "It's going to be so exciting to see this crowd. Obviously people in this city have been waiting for playoffs for a couple of years now. If our last home game versus [the Los Angeles Kings] was any indication, I'm sure it's going to be much more exciting than that, and we are all pretty pumped to see what it's like."

Flames coach Bob Hartley said the crowd Sunday would be electric.

"It's going to be crazy," Hartley told the website. "It already is crazy. It's going to be lots of fun.

"We got part of the job done in Vancouver to gain home-ice advantage (winning Game 1, 2-1). Now Game 3 and Game 4 are in Calgary. Let's take advantage of our situation."

Canucks forward Henrik Sedin played the Flames in the Western Conference Quarterfinals in 2004 and knows what kind of atmosphere to expect.

"It's a great building," Sedin said. "It's so loud, they are into the game. They are passionate fans. We played there in [the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs] and it was a great experience. [It's] something that our younger guys are going to be excited for as well."

Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said, "Calgary is going to be a real tough building and we will need all the energy we can get. I thought [Game 2] was a big win for our team (4-1); the guys played hard and there was a lot of emotion, so I am sure some will carry over to the next game."

Vancouver was 24-14-3 on the road this season.

"We have to play the same on the road as we do at home," Sedin said. "It's been successful so far this year and we aren't going to change that."

Hartley said goalie Jonas Hiller, who made 26 saves on 29 shots in Game 2 on Friday, will start. Backup Karri Ramo played 4:58 in the third period.

"[Hiller] will start [Sunday]," Hartley said. "It was just that I felt with [Ramo's] injury in Edmonton (April 4), he hasn't played in a few days and with the score 3-zip, I felt that just give him a feel. We've said it all along, the way that we have two goalies capable of winning some big games for us. We feel that we have two No. 1 goalies, but for [Sunday] Jonas Hiller will be our starter."

Flames rookie forward Sam Bennett, who has played three NHL games including playoffs, left Game 2 after a hit by Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler. Bennett returned to the game and played less than two minutes in the third period.

"It was just a bump, maybe knocked the wind out of me a bit, but I'm 100 percent fine now," Bennett said.